136 CULTIVATION OF INDIGO. 



tain the produce per biggali, they do not know the quan 

 tity of land at the time of disposing of the produce, and 

 probably men who are unacquainted with accounts do not 

 remember the produce when they are made aware of the 

 quantity of land by the call for the rent. They leave 

 part of the plant also standing for seed. 



The plant is sold in Bengal by the bundle, which is 

 measured by a chain. In the Doab it is sold for 1 rupee, 

 (50 cents), for 5 to 6 monds. 200 to 225 monds of plant 

 to a mond (75 Ibs.) of indigo, is a fair average produce. 

 Therefore it would cost about 36 to 40 rupees, or 18 to 

 20 dollars, for the plant necessary to make 75 Ibs. of 

 indigo. The expense of manufacturing would be but 

 little. 



The water in India for indigo steeping is drawn up 

 from wells or rivers, either by the China wheel, or by 

 bullocks. The wells are some of them 70 feet to 90 feet 

 deep, some 20 feet. Throughout India the water is not 

 more than 14 or 16 feet from the surface, except in un 

 usually high altitudes. 



A vat would contain 90 to 110 monds of plant. To 

 supply three vats, it would take in India, from a well, 

 two bullocks and a man a day. In India, the wages of 

 the man and his bullocks would be 8 annas, or 25 cents ; 

 two men to fill and empty the vats with the plant, 6 pice 

 each, or 3 annas, equal about 10 cents ; six men would 

 beat two vats, or say nine men to the three vats, at 6 

 pice each, 131 annas, or say 40 cents ; one man to boil 

 six vats at 12 pice, or three annas a day, one-half equal 

 to 5 cents ; one man to procure wood, 3 pice, or 3 cents ; 

 two men to press it, 3 annas, or 10 cents ; packing, one 

 man to 3| monds would be but very little, say one-third 



